Vehicle-tongue



Patented Mar. 1', 1892.

James R Johns on,

(NoModeL) J. P. JOHNSON;

VEHICLE TONGUE.

THE NORRIS PETERS c UNITED STATES PATENT- OF IGTE.

JAMES P. JOHNSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE-TONGUE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,838, dated March 1, 1892.

Application filed September 9, 1891. Serial No 405,199. (No model.)

. vehicle-tongues.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive vehicletongue adapted to be readily adjusted to adapt itself to vehicles of different widths. The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a vehicle-tongue constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a reverse plan view, partly in section. Fig.4 is a detail perspective View of the front ends of the bars. Fig. 5 is a similar View of the clipplate.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawlngs.

1 designates a vehicle-tongue having its rear end secured in a box 2-, and thereby connected with the front ends of curved rearwardlydiverging bars 3, which are provided at their rear ends with eyes adapted to be secured to an axle by the ordinary couplings. The box 2 is constructed of suit-able metal, and has its rear end 4 forked. It has the rear end of the tongue secured in its front portion by transverse bolts 5, and the bars 3 are secured in the rear forked portion 4 and are adapted to be adjusted forward and rearward to decrease and increase the distance between their eyes 6 to adapt the tongue or pole 1 to vehicles of different widths. The front end of the box is slotted at 7, so that the sides may be spread to receive a larger pole or tongue than the one shown.

The front end of the bars 3 are approximately parallel and are connected by an integral portion 8, and they have their lower faces roughened or serrated at 10, and are adapted to be engaged by a slotted plate 11,

which has its upper face 12 similarly roughened or serrated, and is secured to the box by vertical bolts 13, arranged in the slot 14: of the said plate. By this construction the bars -3 may be readily secured at any adjustment.

flanges arranged between the bars and the braces, and they serve as means for connecting the stay-straps with the whiffletrees. (Both not shown.) The transverse bolts 5 pass through slots 19 in the sides of the casing, whereby the braces may be readily adjusted on the casing to bring the parts in proper position.

The pivot-pin 20 passes through a suitable opening in the casing and the pole or tongue, and is supported in the usual manner by a brace 21 and is designed to secure suitable whiftletrees to the box.

The pole-eyes 6 have their front ends bifurcated and are pivoted by bolts 22 or the like to the rear ends 23 of the bars 3, which rear ends are reduced, whereby the eyes are adapted to swing on the bars to permit a greater adjustment and to enable them to fit squarely in the axle-clips of a vehicle.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings the construction, operation, and advantages will be readily understood.

What I claim is- 1. The combination of a tongue, a casing receiving the tongue and having its rear end forked, the diverging bars having their rear ends provided with eyes and having theirfront ends arranged within the box and adapted to be moved longitudinally therein to spread or contract the eyes, and means for securing the bars in the box, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a tongue, a casing reforked, the diverging bars arranged in the forked part of the casing, the slotted plate arranged on the lower face of the bars, and bolts passing through the casing and the slot of the plate and clamping the latter against the bars, substantially as described.

3. The combination of atongue, a casing seforked and provided with lugs, the diverging bars arranged within the casing and connected at their front ends and having their lowerfaces roughened, the slotted plate having its upper face roughened, and bolts arranged inthe slot of the plate and clamping the latter against the bars, substantially as described.

L The combination of a tongue, a box secured to. the tongue, divergingbars having theirfront ends connected to the box, the side bracessecured to the box and the bars, and thestay-strap loops provided'with flanges secured'between the rear ends of the braces and the bars, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the tongue, a box receiving the same and provided in its sides withslots and having its top slotted at the front end, the diverging bars having their front ends arranged in the box, the side braces having their rear ends secured to the bars, and the transverse bolts passing through the slots in the sides of the box and securing the front ends of the braces to the same, substantially v as described. cured to the same and having its rear end I 6. The combination of the tongue, a box receiving the same and provided in its sides with slots, whereby it is capable of a limited longitudinal adjustment on the tongue, the diverging bars having their front ends arranged in and adj ustably secured to the box, the side braces having their rear ends secured to the bars, and the transverse bolls passing through the front ends of the braces and through the tongue andarranged in the slots of the box, substantially as described. 7

I In testimony that I claim the foregoing as m own I have hereto aflixe'd'm y signature in the presence of two witnesses:

- JAMES P. J OIINSON Witnesses:

JAMES P. SARVER, JOHN L. WHITCOMB. 

